Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bull Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bull Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $849 in Bull Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,257 in Bull Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,666 in Bull Bay, rent included.

Phuket costs about 45% more than Bull Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Bull Bay are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Bull Bay 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$7.30 JMD 1,147

-36.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$62.2 JMD 9,761

-24.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$6.34 JMD 996

39.43%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.60 JMD 251

87.50%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.95 JMD 149

-22.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.75 JMD 118

-50.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.52 JMD 396

-3.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.43 JMD 382

48.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$4.26 JMD 669

-46.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$3.34 JMD 525

-44.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.26 JMD 198

77.78%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$3.44 JMD 540

-32.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$4.88 JMD 766

303.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$6.50 JMD 1,021

-43.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$3.80 JMD 596

244.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.86 JMD 292

82.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.83 JMD 288

-10.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.23 JMD 350

8.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$0.97 JMD 153

109.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.99 JMD 155

57.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.54 JMD 241

-2.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.15 JMD 181

-11.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.98 JMD 155

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$3.65 JMD 573

21.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$3.89 JMD 611

385.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.41 JMD 379

-26.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.39 JMD 376

15.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.91 JMD 142

53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.98 JMD 155

218.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$3.10 JMD 487

-67.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$6.14 JMD 965

129.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.23 JMD 193

9.76%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$43.7K JMD 6.9M

-37.83%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$33.3K JMD 5.2M

-1.08%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$125 ฿4,087

$112 JMD 17.5K

11.97%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.57 ฿444

$22.05 JMD 3,464

-38.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$18.83 JMD 2,957

-1.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$30.93 JMD 4,859

98.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$13.37 JMD 2,100

-31.26%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$698 ฿22.8K

$224 JMD 35.1K

212.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$2,510 JMD 394.3K

521.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$25.86 JMD 4,062

123.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$25.44 JMD 3,995

38.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$69.8 JMD 11.0K

62.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$77.6 JMD 12.2K

11.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$216 JMD 34.0K

184.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$154 JMD 24.1K

190.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.15

-41.75%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bull Bay: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $216 in Bull Bay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $62.0 in Bull Bay. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Phuket vs $234 in Bull Bay – so Bull Bay wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Phuket vs Bull Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,232 in Phuket, $849 in Bull Bay – roughly 45% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,273 in Bull Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bull Bay, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $849 in Bull Bay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Phuket and $224 in Bull Bay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bull Bay, where all-in costs run around $849, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Bull Bay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $849 in Bull Bay to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bull Bay. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.